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Title: Doctor Who and the Taint (Doctor Who Series) by Michael Collier ISBN: 0-563-55568-8 Publisher: BBC Worldwide Pub. Date: February, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $5.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.75 (4 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Not great, not horrible
Comment: The pacing in THE TAINT is so much more even than in THE LONGEST DAY that it is difficult to believe that they were written by the same author. Where Michael Collier's debut novel had plodding sequences that stretched on and on into nothingness, his follow-up consists of many short and snappy scenes, each giving way to the next before they outstay their welcomeness. Unfortunately, while the story may flow better, we find that the plot contained within isn't all that much more interesting.
It should be no surprise to anyone that this story introduces a new companion to the Doctor's traveling crew. Throughout the entire book Fitz Kreiner is a breath of fresh air, not only for a relatively lackluster story, but also for a book series that was in danger of stalling on account of its two fairly unappealing central characters. He seems real and human in a way that the alien Doctor can't be and the no-dimensional Sam isn't.
The storyline is not terribly complicated. There's a spooky, old house inhabited by several mental patients who all believe that they are being possessed by the devil. There's a meddling psychiatrist who wishes to discover the common characteristic that binds them all together. Into this mix lands the Doctor who, of course, manages to get himself entangled in the situation almost immediately and discovers that the patients aren't actually being controlled by Satan (though we never really expected that they would be), but are in fact an off-shoot of an alien engaged in a war against a long-forgotten enemy. The story isn't terribly bad, nor is it overly engaging. In a similarity to ALIEN BODIES, each of the patients have part of their past story told in their own separate flashback chapter. These sections are by far the most interesting portions of the story. We are shown how their disability has affected them throughout their existence. It's very appealing writing and it's miles better than rest of the stuff in between. Unfortunately, very little of this wonderful character development makes its way back from the flashbacks into the main portion of the story. The individuals of the flashbacks are people with fears, insecurities, pains and stories. The patients of the main story are bland, faceless and easy for the reader to confuse.
Although I've spent most of the space here complaining about the books faults, I will be looking forward to Collier's next book. There aren't any major flaws present and it is a definite improvement over his previous work. If his next offering is as improved, then it should certainly be worth reading.
Rating: 2
Summary: This could have been a whole lot better
Comment: After reading Collier's "Longest Day" I really expected a better story from him. His previous novel is very well written and enjoyable. This one, however, is just dull. The bad guys seem to be without a real motive, as if they're being evil just because they like evil, and the leader talks like a cheesy Bond villain. He also gets his Crowley lore all wrong, as if Collier just heard a few quotes from the man (perhaps in USENet posters' sig files?) and decided to use them as bad-guy dialogue without actually finding the quotes in their original context. Fitz is an interesting character, but only seems to irritate the Doctor and Sam, and has no credible reason to tag along with them at the end (that's not really a spoiler, since the book is billed as the introduction of Fitz, the new companion). In all, if it weren't for the introduction of Fitz, I'd recommend skipping this one in the series. But if you need to see each companon in their first appearance, go ahead and get it. It's not nearly as bad as "The Eight Doctors."
Rating: 5
Summary: great story to bring us a new companion!!!
Comment: this is a great story for the doctor's new companion Fitz Kriener. it takes place in the 1960's in a weird mental hospital. In the end Fitz joins the Doctor and Sam in their adventures though time and space!!!It has a mix of mind trips,chases etc. It is a classic story !!A must for fans of this series or sci-fi in general!!!
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Title: Time Zero (Doctor Who) by Justin Richards ISBN: 056353866X Publisher: BBC Worldwide Pub. Date: September, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.95 |
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Title: The Suns of Caresh (Doctor Who) by Paul Saint ISBN: 0563538589 Publisher: BBC Worldwide Pub. Date: August, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.95 |
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Title: Reckless Engineering (Doctor Who) by Nick Walters ISBN: 0563486031 Publisher: BBC Worldwide Pub. Date: January, 2004 List Price(USD): $6.95 |
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Title: Ten Little Aliens (Doctor Who) by Stephen Cole ISBN: 0563538538 Publisher: BBC Worldwide Pub. Date: January, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.95 |
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Title: Combat Rock (Doctor Who) by Mick Lewis ISBN: 0563538554 Publisher: BBC Worldwide Pub. Date: July, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.95 |
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